Ways to protect spellbooks?

[Gavinfoxx]

Hi there. Recently, a GM has implied that he will be willing to occasionally target spellbooks in a wizard-school game, and has encouraged us to come up with a myriad ways of protecting spellbooks, if we are interested in securing them.


EDIT: I AM SPECIFICALLY LOOKING FOR A SET OF STANDARD PRACTICES OR 'BEST PRACTICES' OR 'LIST OF STANDARD OPTIONS' AND SUCH THAT ANY WIZARD, OF ANY BUILD THAT IS MOSTLY SOME SORT OF WIZARD, CAN DO, TO PUT IN PLACE SO THAT A BUNCH OF WIZARDS IN A SINGLE, ALL ARCANIST GAME CAN AGREE, 'THIS IS WHAT I DO TO PROTECT MY SPELLBOOK'.


I'm looking into ways of protecting his spellbook that any wizard can do. I remember there being an article about superior and more durable spellbooks... but I can't remember where it was? A WotC web article? Complete Arcane? Complete Mage? Somewhere else? Some Dragon Magazine stuff? Planar Handbook? HELP!


I found some old threads, which suggested the following spells:

Secret Page (disguise it as something else, put it in with a bunch of other books)
Arcane Lock
Arcane Mark
Dragoneye Rune (from Dragon Magic)
Instant Summons
Explosive Runes
Fire Trap
Glyph of Warding
Greater Glyph of Warding
Phantom Trap
Alarm + Permanency
Magic Mouth + Permanency
any of the Symbol spells + Permanency
Profane/Sacred Item (from Complete Champion)
Sepia Snake Sigil
Sign of Sealing (Complete Arcane)
Watchware (Unapproachable East)


Keeping it in a form that works with Hoard Gullet (Dragon Magic, I think).

The item Gloves of the Master Strategist (Ghostwalk) is an actually appropriately priced glove with shrink item to bring things to hand. Use that, and one of the nicer 'this is very dense' spellbooks, like a Blessed Book or Aureon's Spellshard (EbCS).

Of course there are various ways of tattooing it and other such things, but some races probably can't use that stuff easily, or some settings can't do that.

But again, I'm mostly looking for various sources of superior / higher end spellbooks, things that could plausibly be added to a Blessed Book (which can also presumably have other enchantments added to it!)...

[Illarion]

Complete Arcane, has a section on making improved spell books as well as another section on alternative spell books, stuff like tattoos. You can also use a lore gem to store up to 30 spells of any level. That's what I'm using for my archivist.

[Story]

If you're really paranoid, there's always Eidetic Wizard. But that blocks you from using Blessed Books or trading your familiar for something good, so people don't normally actually take it. Plus it's Dragon Magazine.

As for Spellbook density, be sure to take Geometer 2.

[Carth]

Hoard Gullet, hours/level second stomach that acts as a bag of holding. Anything that can target your spellbook while it's inside you could probably kill you anyway.

[ArcturusV]

You know... there was a weird, IC thing someone tossed at me in one game (And I did allow it). But it's a reasonable thing that most enemies won't necessarily think of, and as a bonus, costs you pretty much nothing other than maybe a skill.

This was that his "Spellbook" was actually in his clothing. There was IC reasons for this, the culture he came from making it hard to get ink and paper as normal components. So his "Spellbook" and it's formulas were actually embroidered into his clothing. To the uninitiated it just looked like decoration (And he made sure there was plenty of "nonsense" that was just pure decoration to throw off the more educated mixed in). If someone went to look for a book to steal, there wasn't one (He also carried a sword and thief tools and told everyone he was a thief... so NPCs had no real reason to think Spellcaster). And clothing, if cut into "pages", particularly several layers of clothing, front and back, etc, could provide equivalent space as a book.

It was a novel idea when I first saw it. I allowed it. And it meant that his spellbook didn't get confiscated a few times because typical NPCs in those settings don't strip people as a matter of course. They might ask for his sword, or his thief tools (That he never used), etc.

Plus as they were clothing they could eventually be enchanted so that they were resistant to pure destruction, as a simple clothing item.

[Rhynn]

Surest & safest way: have a second spellbook and scribe all spells there. Hide it well. (In an extra-dimensional place if possible.) You should also loot and keep enemies' spellbooks (after copying all new spells into both your main spellbook and your secondary spellbook).

[Karnith]

Are you required to have a spellbook? An easy-bake wizard is the easiest solution to spellbook worries. Alternately, you can tattoo your spellbook onto yourself and possibly your party members. Combined with Geometer, you ought to be able to fit most spells you'd need onto your body.

If that's not an option, Complete Arcane has additional properties that you can add to your spellbook (which is I believe what you were looking for?), though they tend to be geared to protect against more mundane threats. Multiple fake (or real, if you can afford it) spellbooks stored in various places on your person and in stashes are usually a good defense.

[Randomguy]

Complete arcane, page 140 has lists of exotic spellbook materials. To me it looks like the most cost effective option would be a leather binding with linen pages and a waterproof slipcase. That should hold you until you get a Blessed Book.

In terms of spell defenses, you've listed most of them. You don't need to waste XP permanancying a magic mouth, though, just cast it once and recast it whenever it goes off. You can also cast an extended Greater Alarm every few days until you get access to permanancy. It might even be worth casting afterwards: It doesn't cost XP and it's better than alarm is.

One spell you forgot to mention is Skull Watch, it's from SpC and it's kind of like a greater version of Alarm. It also deafens people nearby when it's triggered.

[Gavinfoxx]

How do Lore Gems compare with Aureon's Spellshards?

[mattie_p]

Are you required to have a spellbook? An easy-bake wizard is the easiest solution to spellbook worries. Alternately, you can tattoo your spellbook onto yourself and possibly your party members. Combined with Geometer, you ought to be able to fit most spells you'd need onto your body.


Dude, you're quoting this to the guy who brings up easy bake at almost (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=14586328&postcount=4) every (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=12807307&postcount=33) opportunity (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=11695017&postcount=14).

[Crake]

my dm gave me an item of legacy for the campaign I'm currently in. It has a small (5'x3'x1') portable hole-like pocket where I can store my spellbooks, among other things (like my scrying mirror and various expensive material components). I quite like the idea and you might be able to convince your DM to let you do something similar, perhaps stitching a portable hole to your robe?

[mattie_p]

my dm gave me an item of legacy for the campaign I'm currently in. It has a small (5'x3'x1') portable hole-like pocket where I can store my spellbooks, among other things (like my scrying mirror and various expensive material components). I quite like the idea and you might be able to convince your DM to let you do something similar, perhaps stitching a portable hole to your robe?

Ooh, yeah. Familiar Pocket creates a 1 cubic foot pocket, designed for familiar, but nothing says you can't put spell books in it.

[Karnith]

One of the better options in Complete Arcane for spellbook modifications is spelltrapping your spellbook, which lets you put magical traps on it (using the normal rules for creating traps), though unfortunately this costs a feat.

Dude, you're quoting this to the guy who brings up easy bake at almost (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=14586328&postcount=4) every (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=12807307&postcount=33) opportunity (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=11695017&postcount=14).
Well now don't I feel silly. :smallredface:

[mattie_p]

Well now don't I feel silly. :smallredface:

Don't, you just joined, like, a month ago. I've seen him post it multiple times, though. He might well be :smallcool: eidetic :smallbiggrin: with it.

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!



Personally, if I found a DM clamping down on my spell and item access? I'd make an Easy Bake Wizard and be done with it...

Easy Bake No "Worries" Wizard

Ingredients:
1 Gray Elf (SRD, MM1) (1 Fire Elf can be substituted as well. SRD. If LA buyoff is available, strongly consider being a Lesser Fey'ri; at will Alter Self is fantastic!)
1 Wizard Class (PHB, SRD)
1 Elf Wizard Racial Substitution Level (Races of the Wild)
1 Eidetic Spellcaster Alternative Class Feature (Dragon Magazine #357 -- the core of the build!)
1 Spontaneous Divination Alternative Class Feature (Complete Champion, be sure to check out the errata online!)
1 Collegiate Wizard Feat (Complete Arcane)
1 Aerenal Arcanist feat (Player's Guide to Eberron, optional)
1 Eschew Materials feat (PHB, SRD)
1 Domain Wizard variant, Transmutation or Conjuration domain (SRD, Unearthed Arcana, optional)
Flaws, to taste (SRD, Unearthed Arcana, optional, but necessary if you want all those feats by level 3)

Mix in bowl, and be sure to top with any one of these feats:
Acidic Splatter, Winter's Blast, or Fiery Burst (all from Complete Mage)

Note: if it doesn't turn out right, you picked bad spells. Be sure to look at the various wizard handbooks for how to pick solid, powerful, versatile spells.

[Gavinfoxx]

I've been modifying the recipe a bit as time goes on. Found a feat that gets you all the Summon Monster spells with one feat...

But yea, this thread is for stuff that any Wizard can do!

Here's one of the more current versions of the recipe as I write it:



Here's the recipe for one of my favorite ways of playing D&D, an Easy Bake Wizard. Put the Sorcerer to shame (well, at anything except metamagic-heavy blasting...sorcerer has a ton of ACF's for that, which you don't get...)!

Easy Bake No "Worries" Wizard

Ingredients:
1 Gray Elf (SRD, MM1)
1 Wizard Class (PHB, SRD)
1 Elf Wizard Racial Substitution Level (Races of the Wild)
1 Eidetic Spellcaster Alternative Class Feature (Dragon Magazine #357 -- the core of the build!)
1 Spontaneous Divination Alternative Class Feature (Complete Champion, be sure to check out the errata online!)
1 Collegiate Wizard Feat (Complete Arcane)
1 Aerenal Arcanist feat (Player's Guide to Eberron, optional)
1 Eschew Materials feat (PHB, SRD)
1 Domain Wizard variant, Transmutation or Conjuration domain (SRD, Unearthed Arcana, optional)
Flaws, to taste (SRD, Unearthed Arcana, optional, but necessary if you want all those feats by level 3)
Extra bits, optional, see later instructions!

Mix in bowl, and be sure to top with any one of these feats:
Acidic Splatter, Winter's Blast, or Fiery Burst (all from Complete Mage)

Notes: if it doesn't turn out right when playing it in a zero wealth game, you picked bad spells. Be sure to look at the various wizard handbooks for how to pick solid, powerful, versatile spells. And it is very thematic that you can do stuff like leave a slot open to spend 15 minutes preparing the correct spell you need in it, or take Uncanny Forethought or Alacritous Cogitation, or Nexus Method, consider taking those later. And you automatically just 'get' spells like a sorcerer... no need for scrolls or anything. This Wizard idea relies on exactly zero found scrolls and zero need for items to scribe things into his spellbook, and with Eschew Materials and the right spells chosen, doesn't even need a Spell Component Pouch (just don't take any spells with focuses or components more than 5 gp)! Also, some people might think that this trading out the ability to specialize three times, but that isn't what is going on. Due to differing language between the various options, that isn't what's happening. Some of the stuff says that 'if you don't specialize, you can do this', some of the stuff says 'by removing the ability to specialize entirely, you gain this ability.' Order in which the abilities are taken matters.

Further, some more possible ingredients to take include:

-Alacritous Cogitation feat at level 6 (Complete Mage)
-Another Great option for race is a Lesser Fey'ri (Players Guide to Faerun and Races of Faerun) with LA Bought off (the LA buyoff option is in the SRD and Unearthed Arcana; choose the powers to get the minimum LA for that race). This lets you make use of that Alter Self at will; read the handbook on the uses of Alter Self, it's fantastic.
-Get the Nexus Method feat from Dragon Magazine #319! This lets you spontaneously cast the summon monster line, and apparently adds all the spells to your spellbook! If you do this, you probably want the Transmutation Domain rather than the Conjuration Domain, to maximize spells known.
-Another option is Lesser Celadrin. You combine the rules in Player's Guide to Faerun and the rules in Dragon Magazine #350 to get Lesser Celadrin.
-Also, Fire Elf (UA/SRD) works well too.

-If you ask for houserules, consider these two:
-Permission to house rule that you can take Uncanny Forethought (Exemplars of Evil) at level 9, with the Alacritous Cogitation (Complete Mage) and the Eidetic Spellacster ACF taking place of the Spell Mastery prerequisite, without access to the 'spell mastery' capability from that feat
-Hopefully permission to house rule for the character to count Autohypnosis (XPH, SRD) as a class skill, to describe the character's eidetic memory being useful for things other than spellcasting (assuming the GM uses Autohypnosis in his game!)

Some numbers:

Basic Wizard: Start with 3+Int mod L1 spells, +2 each level as baseline
Elf Generalist Wizard: +1 wizard spell at start, +1 each level beyond baseline
Collegiate Wizard: Instead of 3+int and +2 each level, baseline is set at 6+int and +4 each level
Aerenal Arcanist: +1 each level beyond baseline, including L1 if you take it then
Domain Wizard (Transmutation or Conjuration): One specific extra spell of each spell levels; +9 spells over career (cantrip is already known)
Nexus Method: Apparently automatically gets you the entire Summon Monster line!

So at level one, with a 20 int (cause Grey Elf or whatever, or 21 if you start at middle aged...) you know:
13 level one spells, plus mage armor or expeditious retreat automatically
At level 2, you gain six new L1 spells
At level 3, you gain 6 spells of up to spell level 2, and levitate or web, depending...

Essentially, you end up with a more versatile Sorcerer, who has access to a TON of spells, and can always get the right spell for the job... even with no gear whatsoever. And no Vow of Poverty needed to be useful without wealth!

Finally, if you want to gain access to even MORE spells, the Mage of the Arcane Order prestige class can be useful.

[8wGremlin]

Have a charismatic thief trap haunt it?

[Ellrin]

I don't remember which books I got it from (Complete Mage would be my guess), but with my first spellbook, when I was pretty paranoid, I glamered it to look like a pig's stomach and put the pungent quality on it, as well, so nobody would want to interact with it (with the added bonus of keeping damaging pests off). I also put three bestow curse traps on it to activate upon touching, opening, and reading--the first targeting saves and the others targeting Int--so that hopefully anybody who was too curious would thereafter be too dumb to do anything with it.

It was bound in mithral and both water and fire proof.

None of these things ever came up.

[Slipperychicken]

Lead-lined (CS) pouch, with extradimensional space inside. So it doesn't ping Detect Magic. Maybe you can stick one of those in a Smuggler's Boot (A&EG) for extreme paranoia.

Cast Magic Aura on the extra-dimensional space so it doesn't Detect, even when outside the lead-lined pouch.

In addition to your "real" one, have a perfectly legitimate spellbook which is inside your regular Bag of Holding and chained up inside a locked chest (with Amazing locks arcane locks, etc), maybe Polymorphed too. This is your fake spellbook, containing only a few spells of each level you can cast, plus a bunch of Explosive Runes and stuff. Opponents will take this, correctly thinking it's your spellbook because of all the defenses on it. But the one you prepare from is very well-hidden in your boot.

[Gildedragon]

Take ranks in Craft (Blacksmithing) and make yourself adamantine bricabrac that acts as a spell book.
Go "Song of Ice and Fire" by making each page a link in a necklace.

[Darrin]

Find a Stone of Weight (1000 GP, DMG). Suck up the movement penalty, ride a mount, or give a Talisman of the Disk to your familiar. Cast polymorph any object to turn the stone into a spellbook. Just try and get rid of that mofo "stone" now.

[Acanous]

Find a Stone of Weight (1000 GP, DMG). Suck up the movement penalty, ride a mount, or give a Talisman of the Disk to your familiar. Cast polymorph any object to turn the stone into a spellbook. Just try and get rid of that mofo "stone" now.

That's actually quite clever, but at the level he can PaO, he could also have his own demiplane, and hide his spellbook there.

[Story]

Plus PAO is the most broken spell in the game (stuff like Shapechange and Genesis are at least salvageable). Does anyone actually play with PAO?

[Vaz]

Make it a spellshard and put it on something like an Adamantine chain and keep it under your robes.

Also, Hoard Gullet.

[Cruiser1]

Plus PAO is the most broken spell in the game (stuff like Shapechange and Genesis are at least salvageable). Does anyone actually play with PAO?
Polymorph Any Object is less broken if interpreted correctly, such as:

Impose 15 HD limit when destination form is a creature, since PAO works like Polymorph except where stated differently (that means no creature templates either).
Recognize difference between base creature type and current creature type. PAO considers base creature type, so no PAO twice in a row to get longer duration.
Impose proper Craft checks (when destination is an object) or Knowledge checks (when destination is a creature) so they can't make anti-Osmium, or turn into any creature in every sourcebook right away.

[Story]

Since when has a 15th level Wizard ever had trouble making a Knowledge check?

[Karnith]

The last problem isn't really an issue for a spellcaster, wizards especially, and the spell is still plenty broken even with those restrictions. It really is just better off banned from most games.

[Psyren]

The tattooed spellbook is a great backup. Protect your spellbook as normal, but if your DM zaps it despite all your precautions you won't be a commoner. You can also prepare whatever spells you need (like Instant Summons) to get your main or backup book out of your safe in the morning.

Also, consider Geometer, so you can cram many more spells onto your body (and look really creepy/cool in the process.) Added bonus; your spellbook will be harder to read, which may deter thieves and/or greedy wizards. This is particularly important for a tattooed 'book so enemy wizards won't be gleaning your spells in the middle of a fight. With luck, enemies might not even know your backup spellbook is on your skin, and think you're powerless without your book.

Plus you get to be all snooty to regular wizards who don't understand fractals and Cartesian Planes.

[Gavinfoxx]

Okay, I totally edited my initial post...

[ArcturusV]

You know... all the Tattoo thing really makes me think is that when the DM wants to be a jerk and steal your spellbook... he's going to have someone skin you, and do it in such a way you can't "nope" it. Because the DMs I see who do stuff to spellbooks (Other than say, confiscating it because the PCs are doing a stint as prisoners and keeping it in a poorly locked chest outside their cell)... are really sadistic people... really, really sadistic.

[Psyren]

You know... all the Tattoo thing really makes me think is that when the DM wants to be a jerk and steal your spellbook... he's going to have someone skin you, and do it in such a way you can't "nope" it. Because the DMs I see who do stuff to spellbooks (Other than say, confiscating it because the PCs are doing a stint as prisoners and keeping it in a poorly locked chest outside their cell)... are really sadistic people... really, really sadistic.

It can be done well. Say, the party gets imprisoned and your book is confiscated, then the rogue springs everyone and you find someone else's spellbook on the shelf near the cell. (Maybe the head jailer dabbles or maybe he confiscated it from another prisoner or something.) When you open it up, there's a bunch of weird spells you wouldn't normally prepare in it like Force Ladder, Pyrotechnics and Summon Swarm inside. You have to be creative enough to make those spells useful while you search the jail for your existing equipment, getting your regular book back.

Another trick is to do something like the item-switching storm in Ultima VII: Serpent Isle. The party enters an area of particularly wild/chaotic magic and several items of their equipment are swapped out for strange objects from around the locale they're in. This again forces them to be more resourceful while also solving a mystery - finding out where the items they have now came from, and using that to locate the items they lost.

If not overused, a quick switcheroo like this can be fun.

[ArcturusV]

That DOES sound fun, and I wish one of my DMs would have done it.

As a DM I never really touched the wizard's spellbook (Unless they were being VERY stupid with it) just because it always struck me as very mean spirited to go out of my way to make a character go from High Power to No Power.

[Psyren]

That DOES sound fun, and I wish one of my DMs would have done it.

As a DM I never really touched the wizard's spellbook (Unless they were being VERY stupid with it) just because it always struck me as very mean spirited to go out of my way to make a character go from High Power to No Power.

That's the key point there - you can go after the spellbook sometimes, but you never want to make a habit of it, and you never want to leave them powerless (at least, not for long - a brief period of fear can add some spice.) In particular, going after the spellbook near the beginning of the day when their spells are prepared can be interesting; they have what they need to contribute for awhile, but they don't know when they can get a replacement, so they ration their spells a bit more than normal. It also gives you more time to have them stumble across a replacement (one filled with more eclectic spells as discussed before) without it feeling too contrived.

[Darrin]

That's actually quite clever, but at the level he can PaO, he could also have his own demiplane, and hide his spellbook there.

Actually, I think the biggest weakness would be PAO can be dispelled, in which case, your spellbook goes *poof* back into a useless rock.

[Vaz]

He can give it a couple of rings of counterspelling to help with that. Not to mention that's "wasted" an action on dispelling, but depending on the user, it's "used" the Dispel up.

Of course, you could always AMF/Dead Magic Zone the PC's, but I can't see that being particularly fun for anything short of... well a Fighter or barbarian, but by the time you're resorting to an AMF to counter and out of control Wizard and his living PAO'd Spellbook, they're sitting in a rocking chair at the asylum.

[Wonton]

Personally, my solution was to make a fake spellbook facsimile (Nystul's Magic Aura and all) and carry around openly in my bag, while my real spellbook had Shrink Object on it and was kept safely hidden away somewhere. It was a pretty good solution for a low-level Wizard.

[Rubik]

Song and Silence (3.0) has the possum pouch. It blends seamlessly with your belly, and can be used to store all sorts of Shrink Item'd things. 1,800 gp. Combine with a Heward's handy haversack and you can store your things extradimensionally, and they're removable as a move action. The Spot check to find it is 30+, with various modifiers, depending on if you're, say, naked or not.

[Dr.Epic]

Make it out of metal.

[Darrin]

Make it out of metal.

Riverine cover with aurorum plates for pages.

[silverwolfer]

1. Alarm spell it, silent alarm option (from a scroll or wand) that warns you if it opens

2. Plastic wrap it against normal damage

3. Make the covers from metal instead of the normal book stuff

4. Have several spellbooks so if one gets fried, you still have other spare spells divide improtant and less important spells evenly among the books

5. have your familer keep a hold of it

6. arcane mark it for retrieval ala pokemon

[Deathra13]

Id reccomend, at least if high enough level, have Drawmijs instant summons tattooed on, or take spell mastery feat to have it always there, then arcane mark any spellbooks you may have.

[mattie_p]

How about we come up with ideas to steal spell books, then we can combat them. For example, if I stole a spell book, the first thing I would do is targeted dispel magic on it.

[Gavinfoxx]

Again... I'm looking for a set of 'best practices' that is build agnostic. IE, ANY Wizard can either pay for this, or cast these spells, okay?

[Rubik]

How about we come up with ideas to steal spell books, then we can combat them. For example, if I stole a spell book, the first thing I would do is targeted dispel magic on it.That wouldn't affect the spellbook itself, but it WOULD ruin any protections on it.

I'd suggest making the spellbook from aurorum or riverine, then adding Explosive Runes to it, so that when it's Dispelled it explodes.

Alternatively, add castings of Magic Mouth (minimal CL) to every page so they're Dispelled first.

[Gildedragon]

Build your spell book. Make your fortress/garden/sanctum's design be an architectural representation of your spellbook.
Heck make a city be this. Infiltrate the city's government and nudge the zoning/city planning committees into producing arcane designs. Now the maps of the city are your spellbooks.
Ensure certain buildings have matching decorations or lack thereof and da'vinci-code your spellbook into the city (might be cheaper than city-planning manipulation)
Actually I think I'll take those ideas for BBEG in some future campaign.

Epic option: Use the create a new species spell and code your spellbook into its DNA (dragons might have done this with other races, explaining sorcerers)

Encode it to map to a poetic/lyric structure, autohypnosis to remember the decoding mechanism, publish the resulting poems/pulp tripe. Use autohypnosis to decode the harlequin romances.

Forge it into your team's gear

[Psyren]

Again... I'm looking for a set of 'best practices' that is build agnostic. IE, ANY Wizard can either pay for this, or cast these spells, okay?

Tattooed Backup Spellbook (containing spells that allow retrieval/safeguarding of the primary, as well as vital self-defense) IS a build-agnostic suggestion.

[Gavinfoxx]

Tattooed Backup Spellbook (containing spells that allow retrieval/safeguarding of the primary, as well as vital self-defense) IS a build-agnostic suggestion.

Unless you have fur!

;) ;)

[Psyren]

Unless you have fur!

;) ;)

Just Alter Self into a hairy guy if you want it that much :smalltongue:

[kardar233]

I recall reading a cool method that used Shrink Item, a false tooth and an Antimagic Field. Don't quite recall the particulars.